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Royals uniform numbers a Powerball coincidence

Royals uniform numbers a Powerball coincidence

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By Dick Kaegel
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MLB.com |

KANSAS CITY -- So if you're Royals fans like Mark and Cindy Hill, you win your mega-millions by playing the numbers of the team's biggest names, right?

Naw.

The Hills, from Dearborn, Mo. (pop. 496), near Kansas City, did not pick their winning Powerball Lottery numbers by summoning up the uniform numbers of Royals stars of the past. It was a nice theory bounced around the Internet for a while on Friday.

But when the Hills claimed their prize of nearly $294 million later in the day, they said that while they are Royals fans, the numbers were randomly picked by computer. The ol' "Quick Pick" technique.

Of course, the numbers did match up to some of the Royals' most historical figures. The Powerball was 6, which was worn by Willie Wilson. The other five numbers were 5 (George Brett), 23 (Mark Gubicza), 16 (Bo Jackson), 22 (Dennis Leonard) and 29 (Dan Quisenberry).

All but Jackson are members of the Royals Hall of Fame.

For a more recent numerical take, Zack Greinke wore No. 23 in his Cy Young Award-winning season with the Royals.

If someone were to Powerball-pick on the basis of current Royals for those winning numbers, you'd have to go with Lorenzo Cain (6), Danny Duffy (23), Billy Butler (16) and Mike Montgomery (22). But nobody's been assigned 29 since Mike Sweeney left and Brett's 5 is retired.

Better stick with Quick Pick.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.